A PROLIFIC offender involved in the distraction theft of a woman’s purse has been electronically tagged.

Kathleen Muir, 44, of Park Lea, Little Sutton, appeared at Chester, Ellesmere Port & Neston Magistrates’ Court on Monday, after being found guilty of theft at a trial on March 13.

Muir, who has 10 aliases, was accused alongside another defendant who has since appeared at the crown court for a number of other offences.

She was accused of working alongside her co-defendant to distract 46-year-old Christina Barnes while her purse, containing approximately £40, was taken.

Mrs Barnes was waiting at a bus stop on Old Chester Road on August 3, 2008, when she was approached by the pair, who engaged her in conversation.

Prosecuting, Debra Chan, told the court how, while Muir fixed Mrs Barnes’ necklace, her accomplice took the purse from the bag, that was sitting on the floor.

It was only after they left that Mrs Barnes discovered the theft.

Defending, Robin Boag, highlighted Muir’s attempts to turn her life around following a spate of offending in the late 1990s.

He said: “This has not been a case of window dressing since this latest offence, but a change over a long period of time – she has tried to turn her life around.”

He added her accomplice had been heavily involved with historic offences and restarting that relationship had been “a very, very bad idea indeed.”

Magistrates took into account the drug courses Muir was attending, before passing a 16 week sentence, suspended for 12 months. She was also made the subject of a 7pm-7am curfew, to be monitored by an electronic tag, and fined £240.